Seen and heard on the #SisolakShutdown

By Chuck MuthAt the risk of bringing partisanship into the crisis, got this from a friend recently… “The Chinese virus is trying to turn me into a Democrat. It’s got me staying at home, not working, complaining about everything and waiting on my stimulus check.” Bazinga!
Here We Go Again; Another Sisolak Shutdown Reversal Reporter Riley Snyder reported today that selling cars has now been added to the list of “essential” businesses that are exempted from Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak’s statewide shutdown order.
Riley reports that the governor’s office confirmed “that car dealerships can continue operating during the business shutdown, even though they are not explicitly mentioned in emergency regulations outlining the types of businesses allowed to continue operations” as long as they use “aggressive social distancing protocols for patrons.” This is pure insanity.
Why can a car dealership sell cars as long they follow social distancing protocols but not other retail sales stores like Best Buy and Game Stop?
Look, I know a number of you support Gov. Sisolak’s statewide shutdown order and think it’s necessary to slow the spread of the Wuhan virus.
And considering the hysteria over this that’s been whipped up by the media (see next item), it’s understandable to a certain extent.
But the IMPLEMENTATION of this — with all the nonsensical exceptions to the rule which have enabled the governor to single-handedly pick
winners and losers — is a fuster-cluck of metaphysical proportions. Grocery stores can sell liquor but liquor stores can’t? Drug stores can sell vitamins but vitamin stores can’t?
If car dealers can remain open by simply following social distancing and other safety precautions, EVERY retail business should have the same right. Either close everybody down or open everybody up.
And while we’re on the subject of the irrational insanity of the implementation of the Sisolak Shutdown, consider this… Schools have been shut…but day care centers have remained open.
Outdoor parks have been closed…but bus transportation has continued. All the Doom-and-Gloom That’s Fit to Print
Jon Ralston’s Nevada Codependent blog is running non-stop hysteria-inducing Twitter updates on the Wuhan virus. Here are corona-scare tweets just since Friday…
—Nevada regulators say many construction work sites ‘visibly’ not following social distancing rules —Email: Tesla expects to reduce Gigafactory staff by more than 75 percent —Humboldt County reports first COVID-19 case, virus now in eight counties —Southern Nevada Health District: Only 119 coronavirus test kits left —Elko County confirms third positive COVID-19 case —More than 90 new coronavirus cases in Clark County pushes total to 443 —Fears of coronavirus in prisons grow as Nevada confirms first COVID-19 case behind bars —Coronavirus cases increase by 107, bringing statewide tally to 535 —State pandemic report shows ventilator use increased over the last week —Parks close to contain coronavirus, solar industry braces for setback —Washoe County reports 10 more cases, moving statewide count to 428 —Nevada Department of Corrections announces first coronavirus case —Las Vegas mulls options for temporarily homelessness housing,
including Cashman Field —Las Vegas backs off aggressive park cleaning regimen —Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Nevada reach 420; death total remains at 10
And that doesn’t count all the individual tweets by Ralston himself and Codependent reporters.
We have nothing to sell but fear itself! (Don’t forget to donate.) OK, Let’s Talk about the Numbers…
Media outlets in Nevada — especially Jon Ralston’s Nevada Codependent blog — breathlessly announce every new update on reported cases of the Wuhan virus. But the numbers lack proper context. So let’s examine…
Yes, the number of positive test results in Nevada continues to increase daily. But that has at least as much do to with the fact that more testing is being done and is not necessarily an indication that the virus is spreading out-of-control. As Mark Dice notes…
“We’re testing a lot more people since tens of thousands with mild to no symptoms are rushing to the hospital because they’re coming down with a case of paranoia from watching too much CNN.” Or reading the Nevada Codependent.
Now consider the fact that pretty much only people exhibiting signs that they are sick are being tested. The tests — with the exception, of course, of celebrities and government officials — aren’t being administered to healthy people who show no signs of the infection.
Now, of the suspected SICK people who are being tested, according to figures posted by the Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday, 6,696 SICK people have now been tested for the Wuhan virus.
Of that, 535 tested positive. Which means 6,161 SICK people tested NEGATIVE for the Wuhan virus. That’s less than 10 percent of SICK people testing positive.
We’re killing our economy, driving businesses into bankruptcy and sending over 100,000 Nevadans into the unemployment line over THAT?
A Tale of Two Governors While Nevada’s Gov. Steve Sisolak, has irrationally over-reacted and sentenced the vast majority of otherwise law-abiding Nevadans to statewide house arrest — treating rural counties the same as Las Vegas and Reno — to deal with the Wu-Flu scare, Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis, has taken a far more reasoned and rational approach.
“Mr. DeSantis has stopped short of declaring a statewide lockdown or closing all non-essential businesses,” noted the Wall Street Journal on Thursday. “Instead local governments have flexibility, and major cities like Miami and Orlando are imposing more draconian policies like those in effect in New York and California. In less densely populated Florida areas there are fewer restrictions.”
Common sense. Balance.
The risks in Las Vegas and Reno aren’t the same risks in Ely or Elko. Not saying there’s ZERO risk. Just saying the risk factors are different and should be treated differently. A one-size-fits all statewide shutdown ignores that reality.
On the other hand, Gov. Sisolak’s ever-growing list of exceptions to his mandatory statewide shutdown makes no sense whatsoever — such as
shutting down parks and playgrounds but allowing day care centers to remain open.
But make no mistake. The vast majority of the public — influenced by the hyper-panic news reports by irresponsible journalists — is right now on the side of the authoritarians.
So it would be EASIER for elected officials such as President Trump and Gov. DeSantis to just give in and go with the flow. But strong leaders lead and make tough decisions. Weak leaders follow the herd from behind.Chuck Muth is president of CitizenOutreach.org and publisher of NevadaNewsandViews.com. He blogs at MuthsTruths.com. His views are his own.

City Council votes an abeyance of ordinance to jail developers
By Alexandra Cohen
De Oro Media Group
Las Vegas Tribune Exclusive
Tuesday the Las Vegas City Council Recommending Committee voted for an
abeyance on the controversial ordinance — Bill No. 2018-24 — sponsored
by City Councilman Steve Seroka, a councilman who is being sued in
Federal Court by developer Yohan Lowie for bias. This abeyance now
moves the bill to the September 4, 2018 Recommending Committee, then
to be heard by the full City Council on September 6.
The proposed bill will severally penalize developers with excessive
fines and jail time for not abiding by new standards. The bill is
opposed by the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP),
The Latin Chamber of Commerce and Laborers Local 872, along with
others in the building and trades community. The bill NO.2018-24, also
known as the «Yohan Lowie bill,” is an ordinance to amend LVMC Title
19 (The Unified Development Code) to adopt additional standards and
requirements regarding the repurposing of certain golf courses and
open spaces.
The ordinance was met with strong position from those speaking at
today’s meeting. Tommy White, Secretary Treasurer of the Laborers
Local 872 said “this City Council is sending the wrong message to not
only the local building community, but to the entire nation. This is
simply government overreach.” Mr. White vowed to bring 600 of his
union members to the next meeting to protest the flawed ordinance.
Peter Guzman, President of the Latin Chamber of Commerce, stated, “I
have received numerous calls from my members opposed to this
ordinance. This ordinance is contrary to our group’s philology and
focus of promoting commerce and growth in our community.” Todd Davis,
General Council, EHB Companies pointed out to the Recommending
Committee that “the Agenda states ‘NO FISCAL IMPACT,’ when clearly
there is a fiscal impact to taxpayers ranging from substantial legal
fees to defend the ordinance, to hundreds of millions of dollars if
the ordinance is found to be a taking.”
Councilwoman Michele Fiore publically and vehemently objected to the
ordinance in the July 18 council meeting and at times verbally sparred
with the bill sponsor, Councilman Seroka, citing that the ordinance
started as a 5-page ordinance and FAILED in the Las Vegas Planning
Commission by a 5 to 1 vote. Now, behind the scenes, it has been
expanded to a 13-page document and is being considered for approval.
Developer Yohan Lowie, stated, “this is typical of the corruption and
disingenuous acts of certain members of the city of Las Vegas who have
demonstrated for the past three years, and one of the reasons why I am
in litigation with Councilman Seroka and Bob Coffin for the animus
they continue to display. They are enacting a law to create criminal
penalties for the property no longer being a golf course and no longer
being green. All property owners should be concerned.” This bill may
be as far-reaching as to affect individual homeowners living in a golf
course community.
SECTION 7 in the bill states: Whenever in this ordinance any act is
prohibited or is made or declared to be unlawful... the doing of such
prohibited act or the failure to do any such required act shall
constitute a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be
punished by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment for a
term of not more than six months.
Mr. Lowie has hired famed criminal defense lawyer David Chesnoff to
represent his interests in possible forthcoming criminal offenses that
may arise from this bill. Additionally, along with attorney and Lt.
Governor Mark Hutchison the City has been put on notice through a
letter, which states the City will be in violation of the EX Post
Facto Clause and Equal Protection Clause and a Taking by Eminent
Domain.
After the July 18 city council meeting, developer Yohan Lowie stated,
“If they want to put me in jail, they can. I will fight to my last
breath to prevent the City from EVER taking my property away. I will
continue to fight this matter all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to
get justice.”